Kymblawg

I'm sure you're already all over this, but did you see the news?  What's up?
Guitarist splits from Duran Duran

I'm irritated beyond belief at Oprah's interview of the Dixie Chicks yesterday.  The interview on it's own was completely biased and I would've had issue with that, but take into account the 20 minutes Oprah cut out of the interview to talk to Madge via satellite about her adoption woes made it all the more infuriating.  I mean, Oprah barely interrupted Madonna's faux Brit accented monologue for a question, but managed to ask Natalie Maines at least four different times (and I really wasn't counting) if she regretted what she said about the President.  She DOESN'T REGRET IT, and said so as many times.  Oprah purporting herself to be Charles Kuralt of broadcast interview journalism and a liberal at that is such a farce.

Needless to say, I'm really hoping their documentary manages to make it way out here to the 'burbs, and I'll go see it by myself if I have to. 

....carry on.

Books, movies, music; what's in your top 5 right now?

John Mayer's new album, Continuum - LOOOOVE IT; Weeds 2nd season; Kidnapped; dying to see Prestige, and lastly the new Dixie Chicks documentary.

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Well, do you?  Tivo, that is.

Dear Voxians, I am desperate for your help.  Up until now, I've watched so little TV that I've been able to keep by downloading the torrents of the very few shows I couldn't live without - West Wing, Lost.  But with the resurgence of what appears to a very welcome upswing in well-written hour dramas this fall, I just can't.keep.up.  So the obvious answer is Tivo.

A little background - we have dual tuner TVs, with DirecTV, so obviously I'll have to be mindful of compatibility issues.  I'd like to get a DVR with a DVD recorder, if only because I know I'll end up burning many discs of Teletubbies/Charlie & Lola/Sesame Street compilations.

So, what have your experiences been?  Is there really a benefit of buying a DVR with a Tivo interface because it's that fantastic?  What particular units do you have, and would you recommend them?  Also, is getting a unit that has a lifetime subscription to Tivo service a priority?

All advice is welcome, and much appreciated!!

Paris to the Moon

Adam Gopnik

The current book, about a NY Times Reporter and his wife who move to Paris with their toddler.  So far - a bit verbose and esoteric but inspired writing.  On deck:

Me Talk Pretty One Day

Anybody got any tips or suggestions to the otherwise?

What do you collect?

Purses and bags.  Unfortunately my taste in bags is getting more and more expensive - my closet now consists of Coach and Cole Haan, but lately I've been eyeing Hogan and Marc Jacobs.  

Gotta work more.  ;>

I initially thought that I'd use this channel to talk about books, TV, film, music, mac related stuff - all manner of geekery.  But my daily life is so consumed by house remodeling, child raising and restraining myself from doing my spouse bodily harm, I haven't had much to say on those topics.  Which, HELLO, that's a flag waving in front of my face.  I used to be so up on pop culture - could speak fluently on current events in the arts.  Jesvet wrote eloquently of this dilemma not so long ago, and it's had me thinking about how much I've given up of myself ever since.

So, a pledge to myself - I will make the time to see a movie, in the damn THEATER, at least once a month even if I have to go by myself (like I did Saturday).  Netflix doesn't count.  By God, if I can't have date night I will take MY OWN DAMN SELF OUT.

So Saturday night it was The Illusionist:

theillusionist_l200607211144

Anyway, I admit the primary reason I picked Illusionist over Hollywoodland is Mr. Norton himself.  Although the movie was maybe 6.5, 7 out of 10, the performances themselves are great.  Edward Norton doesn't have a whole lot to work with here, not like with American History X, (oh my god, I still cannot watch the curb scene) but he delivers poignancy nonetheless.

He has so much damn charisma it's ridiculous, although WB-er Jessica
Biel did seem to hold her own.

But Paul Giamatti's performance was a revelation - I like this role so much better than the one that got him all the attention from Sideways.  His Viennese accent is dead on, and you could just see the cogs of his mind working away as he tried to figure out Eisenheim.

illusionist1

And so my 9.75 was well spent, but I'm glad the husband unit wasn't along  and it wasn't 19.50...not to mention his ever-so-informed cinematic critique.  ;>

If you could only save one thing in a house fire (thing, not person), what would it be and why?
Submitted by donnunn.

You know, it sounds sad - but my purse.

When I was twelve, during the summer after sixth grade, some idiot neighbor kids made homemade smoke bombs for Fourth of July and threw them up on our roof.  We lost everything.

The things I remember being the biggest pain were having keys made for the car, because my mom left her purse inside - along with checks, ID, credit cards - you name it.

In the aftermath, pictures were the biggest loss...to this day, there are very few pics in existence of me under the age of 12.  But as an adult, I shoot entirely in digital, am fanatical in terms of backing up, and always send a copy of the backup disc to my mom in Kentucky.

PS - I'm including pets in here as people, not things.  Duh.